Has anybody any experience with using DTP on the new Macbook?
It’s obviously a much lower spec than the Macbook Pros, but I was looking for any real world perceptions of how well (or not so well) it performs in practice, as DTP is probably the most demanding of the applications I use (the other main programs I use are Scrivener and Tinderbox).
Thanks in advance.
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[EDIT:] actually, i can’t even see a noticeable lag in the interface. my database is 14gb. everyone has their own workflow, use case, and sensitivities, of course, but in daily use, i think it’s fine.
scrivener, by the way, works great, though i haven’t tackled large files yet. windows office beta is terrible (typing lag with everything), but i haven’t compared it with my rmbp yet, where i suspect the office beta is also bad, because the regular version is (irritating lag on any file with more than a dozen or so pages).
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Thanks very much for your reply.
In fact, I bought one this afternoon (the gold 1.2 version): spent an hour in the Apple Store typing and messing around with it and so far I’m really pleased. The keyboard isn’t as difficult to get used to as I’d heard and the screen is so much more easy to read than I expected for such a small machine (compared to my mid-2010 17" Macbook Pro) - the compromises for the smaller screen really don’t look as big as I expected.
I’m just downloading DTPO to see how I get on with that, but judging so far, I think it’s going to be fine for all but the heaviest use (which happens to me rarely).
Thanks again.
I think the key is RAM – and the flash storage/SSD in modern laptops extends the benefit of RAM. On a 2012 MBA with 8 GB RAM and a 512 GB SSD, I use 8 large databases all day long every day along with a big Windows VM under Parallels plus all the tools to use that data. Never slow. Never a problem with DEVONthink performance. I would expect the 2015 MB to be even better – and I’m jealous of the “gold case”. Whoohoo 
gold is definitely the way to go 
i was also really hesitating because of keyboard complaints, but as soon as i touched it i knew i’d be fine. in fact, i now have much less regard for some of the reviewers who wrote so negatively about it. they seem to have pretty poor judgment, i don’t think they know what they are talking about. i’m quite keen on it after more than a month of use. there really isn’t anything i’d change on it – it’s perfect for what it is.
gizmodo.com/new-macbook-review-s … 1698424838
the touchpad and keyboard are awful? it’s not for me or you? what a load of bs parading as a review. i’d have done better reading amazon reviews before trying it out.
People actually seriously read gizmodo? 
I thought it was a site like the Onion. 
gizmodo is, indeed, terrible: clickbait, vapid, silliness. but, they still do reviews. maybe that’s the problem. it’s time for them to drop all pretence of having anything useful to say.
I think reviewers get a little jaded in that they’re reviewing many different laptops and have to look for differences. They don’t get a long time to review each machine and so first impressions and specifications have a disproportionate influence compared to actual real-world use.
So, a reviewer will major on the low spec of the rMB and the single point – that’s fair enough because for some people, these will be a huge problem. So the fact that for most people’s uses, the laptop is more than powerful enough and the need to have multiple ports so rare is minimised in the review.
In my case, the rMB’s specs are faster for all purposes than my mid-2010 MBP except heavy graphics use, which I never do, so I thought I’d be ok, I was interested in real-world use, and your replies were very helpful.
I’m really pleased with it so far.
glad to hear it’s working out for you. i agree about the reviewers. in particular, the obsession with the port got old pretty quickly, even if it was predictable. but i was a little surprised to see them dogging the keyboard and the trackpad, because both seem excellent to me, and i think i am a pretty picky typist (my life is writing stuff). as for the performance, i am glad they focused on it and generally fleshed out possible use cases and bottleknecks; using it in the store made it immediately clear that it wouldn’t be a problem for me, especially as a second computer.
Yes, I don’t mind the reviewers pointing out possible issues if they’re also point out possible use scenarios.
In the case of the rMP, I think the issues have also been amplified by some internet posters for whom having the most powerful computer possible is a source of pride (I’m not immune to this myself – after all my first thought was for the top of the range 15" MBP…) and an opportunity to abuse others with less powerful laptops (this I don’t understand at all…).
When I read some of the reviews from real users though, I realised I just didn’t need the extra power for a second computer.
that’s exactly right.
and, some people determine the “value” of a purchase based on how much money they are spending for how much processing power (specs), so it becomes inconceivable to spend more for less (in that calculation). of course, some of us calculate value differently, and when you are carrying the computer for hours every day (me), even a few ounces is worth the trade-off, especially if the performance difference has a negligible impact on actual tasks. fortunately, dt runs great (one of the first things i checked when i got the computer), and so all is well
I bought a MacBook with the highest RAM and find DT works absolutely fine on it. This may be helpful for someone contemplating the purchase.
the ram is the same in every macbook. did you buy one with a faster processor?
Hi. You bought the fastest processor available. Everyone gets the same RAM, and since RAM is often the bottleneck when you encounter lag (especially with several apps / tabs open at once), the faster processor probably won’t make a significant difference for DTPO. That’s my guess, anyhow. I’m using the base model (1.1) and I’m pleased with the performance of DTPO.
